1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to eyeglass frame systems and more particularly of an interchangeable and reconfigurable system for supporting lenses on the face of a wearer.
2. Description of the Background
Eyeglasses have long been used to correct the vision of the wearer and provide protection to the eye from physical intrusion (safety glasses) and uncomfortable or damaging optical conditions (sunglasses). Modern eyeglasses typically use a frame to support a lens in front of each eye of the wearer and, in addition to the lenses, include a bridge piece joining the lenses at the wearer's nose and an arm extending from the lens at the wearer's temple back to and over the ear of the wearer. Historical types of glasses include the pince-nez and monocle designs which dispense with some aspects of the modern frame and are still worn by some. The lenses themselves may serve as a structural element joining the bridge piece and the arms or an additional frame element may serve this purpose. In either case the lenses are most commonly glass or plastic elements shaped or coated to serve their corrective or protective purposes and affixed permanently to or within the frame elements.
Because many corrective eyeglass wearers rely heavily on their glasses in order to be able to function in their daily lives wearers are rarely seen without them on their faces and the aesthetics of the eyewear have become an important aspect. There is a large market for eyewear fashions for both corrective and protective (i.e., sunglass) frames and many wearers have multiple styles of both to accommodate different situations. Frames and lenses are also not inexpensive and this coupled with a wearer's desire to be able to select an appropriate style of frame and lens for a given situation, leads many to purchase multiple pairs of eyeglasses, many of which see limited use. An eyewear system that quickly, easily and inexpensively permits the user to interchange both new and existing lenses with frame elements to achieve any functional and aesthetic lens/frame combination would be desirable.